Honorary Members

Jo Ellen O’Hara

retired Food EditorThe Birmingham News (45 years)

Jo Ellen O’Hara was a home economics major at the University of Alabama who decided that a career in home ec. was not what she wanted, so she switched to journalism. She ended up with a Bachelor of Science in Home Economics and a Master’s degree in Journalism. She began working at The Birmingham News as a medical-science reporter until editor Vincent Townsend found The News in need of a food editor since Margaret Dillon was retiring. Jo Ellen says she thought about the opportunity to be food editor, and then turned it down saying she’d rather continue her career as a science reporter. Mr. Townsend replied: “Fine. You take over Monday as food editor.” Jo Ellen says, “That was the beginning of a most rewarding career as food editor, which I enjoyed for 45 of the 48 years of my time at The News. I cannot remember a bad moment, though I know there were some. I loved my life and my career. I was fortunate, and I treasure that time.”

Juliette Flenoury

retired Chef Mountain Brook Club (43 years)

Juliette Flenoury grew up in a suburb of Birmingham called Fountain Heights. She started cooking with her mother and others in her home kitchen. Around the age of 11, she began baking cookies nearly all the time, honing her skills and gathering fans. Later, she got her first food-industry job working at The Greyhound Bus Station. By day, she was a cashier; at night, she cooked foods for the daily menu at the Post House Cafeteria in the bus terminal. Her next job was cooking for Mountain Brook Club where she remained for 43 years. Juliette is best known for her corn pones, but one should not overlook her fried chicken, cornbread dressing, chicken potpies, cakes, cookies and more. In fact, any food that is Southern, she does it beautifully. Chef Juliette recently retired, and now she volunteers for Christian Service Ministry, cooking for the homeless and for the student interns visiting Birmingham from various colleges.